Information for Candidates
This page contains briefings and information for candidates and their agents, and anyone considering standing as a candidate in the Police and Crime Commissioner elections.
Briefings
A briefing pack is available for all candidates
Click here to download
The slides from the Candidate’s Briefing are also available
Click here to download – Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
Click here to download – Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
To read more about election guidance for PCCs, including qualifications for standing as a candidate, please visit the Electoral Commission website.
Useful information on our website
Please see the below links to useful information on our website:
Commissioned Grants and Contracts
Holding the Chief Constable to account (COPS sessions)
Other useful websites
Please see the below links to other useful websites:
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary
Association of Police and Crime Commissioners
Independent Custody Visiting Association
ICVA Candidate Briefing
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary force performance
Policing statistics from gov.uk
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary Police Federation
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary
Interaction between the Office and Candidates
While wishing to provide candidates with the information they need to develop their manifestos and to answer any questions they have about the role, all OPCC and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary personnel should ensure they remain impartial.
In light of this a protocol for the interaction with candidates has been developed to provide guidance to staff from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) concerning their conduct and their contact with candidates during the election campaigns.
Police Area Returning Officer (PARO)
The PARO has published information about the election for candidates and agents, including their own briefings.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police and Crime Panel
The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police and Crime Panel (PCP) is responsible for scrutinising and supporting the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
The PCP is made up of representatives from each of the local authorities in the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary area. This includes the unitary authorities of Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight, the 11 Hampshire Borough and District councils and Hampshire County Council.
The current membership of the Panel can be viewed online Hampshire Police and Crime Panel – Committee details
The Panel meets formally around four times per year and examines and makes recommendations on various aspects of the PCC’s activity. In particular the Panel’s powers include:
- reviewing the draft Police and Crime Plan
- reviewing (and having the power to veto) the PCC’s proposed Council Tax precept levels
- reviewing and scrutinising decisions and actions by the PCC
- scrutinising the PCC’s annual report
- confirming (and having the power to veto) the Chief Constable’s appointment
- confirming senior officer (Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer) and political roles (Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner) in the PCC’s office
- reviewing the PCC’s conduct
- to appoint an acting PCC, if required
Minutes of previous meetings of the Panel can be viewed online, accompanied by recordings of meetings.
Questions from candidates
Questions and answers from candidates will be posted here during the pre-election period.
Q – Agent: do you think you’re a force officers want to stay with- what are the challenges in staying that way?
A – Constabulary: people used to stay in role for 30yrs. Then we went through a change, people stay for 7yrs or so, we’re still in this 30yr mind set, not quite shifting into this new way of working. Retention isn’t where we want it to be. Because there’s been so many numbers in the uplift- people give it a go, and decide it’s not for me, there are also people who aren’t making the grade. The retention plan includes, moving away from degree entry route as this was a blocker- their skill sets mean they weren’t ready to hit the ground running as an officer, but now with the support of a good tutor, they continue on the journey of excellence.
We also need to take better grip on our leadership, and occupational health, we have more people with mental health and other sickness, we need to think about how we support this, it could be someone going to a number of a certain type of incident who may need to take a break from front line.
Police staff are critical- they enable us to do what we do. To be an employer of choice- apart of the bigger journey, making sure of the good working environment, good IT (CMC), feeling valued.
Retention plan-to have reward and recognition.
Since we’ve come away from degree entry route- allows those who’ve already had careers who aren’t seeking academic progression, we have a good military connection in Hampshire.
Q – Candidate: what is the current pathway for specials to go into policing route?
A – Constabulary: same route as our PC- but then tend to go into it with a bit more confidence – they’re not fast tracked but we do have better levels of retention, will tend to be the senior level on the intake, understands how we operate. This does now mean we need to recruit more specials.
Q – Candidate: what is the Force median on scene time – how does this compare to other forces?
A – Constabulary: how different forces start the clock running is slightly different, but we monitor this regularly, because we had substantial problems over the past 12months- where we have made improvements is hit by the first 6months of the performance year, we can profile the national ones. We are up there now, we’re pleased to be staring the new performance year, where we are now is much better- performance is level set.
A – Constabulary: some forces look differently at urban and rural areas. HIOW is a huge geographical area in rural especially in terms of rural on scene times.